Having just completed http://www.indiamike.com/india/india...eport-t241830/, have commenced planning for "The Mahabharata Trail" A self drive through the known sites of Mahabharata. Obviously, certain sites like Takshashila in Pakistan must be dropped for the time being.
A preliminary list of places is attached. Would appreciate comments and advise.

Much as I'd like to help you, I wouldn't advise diving into this trip headfirst as the available material on the locations you're planning to visit may not relate directly to the epic (also, which version of the epic is your basis for this trip?*) or will be at best sketchy. If you're clear that you'd like to do this trip, I'd advise the following steps-

1. Purchase this book - . Prof BB Lal is the former director of the ASI and it was under his leadership that ASI commenced digging at Hastinapura.
2. If required, visit the ASI office near the national museum and further, the National Archives.
3. Go through this for a start - http://www.slideshare.net/sfih108/ma...y-prof-b-b-lal and redraw the trip map. It will be much smaller.

*Please don't tell me you're ''inspired'' by one of the latest Indian ''epic'' story tellers like Devdutt patnaik.

However, in case of Ramayana, of course you know that it's a vastly more popular epic, there're regional variations among versions but there're many, many versions in perhaps every major Indian language - plus from your own Bali trip, I think you saw something else there as well. Within North India, the Ramacharitmanas, possibly the best accepted version of the Ramayana (after Valmiki's? or even higher?) is a medieval work and therefore very recent - that epic alone led to a significant upsurge in the popularity. Nothing like that happened with the Mahabharata. Lastly, there's a taboo against reciting the Mahabharata at home (except for the Bhagwad Gita) while reciting the Ramayana is actively encouraged.

Originally Posted by vaibhav_aroraMuch as I'd like to help you, I wouldn't advise diving into this trip headfirst as the available material on the locations you're planning to visit may not relate directly to the epic (also, which version of the epic is your basis for this trip?*) or will be at best sketchy. If you're clear that you'd like to do this trip, I'd advise the following steps-

*Please don't tell me you're ''inspired'' by one of the latest Indian ''epic'' story tellers like Devdutt patnaik.

i am getting paranoid. How does Vaibhav know what i did last night?

i went thru the presentation of lal

I earmarked the book for a possible buy

i checked out patnaik

Thanks Vaibhav. Have the fun is in the planning, the dreaming, the imagination. My love for forests and wildlife have already crept into the plan and hence it , as usual, would be a mix of historical sights, NPs and forests and some temples.

Had a quick look at that article. Sorry, not buying. Can be debunked on more than one ground as poor second hand research. Suffice to say that three photos therein are from kailasa, cave 16, Ellora and a panel from nick's neighbourhood.
Slide 6 in the link I shared will limit places to the gangetic plain, largely and given the extent of technology back then, vast swathes covered by forests and tracts impassable, the scenario painted by lal is likelier.
Still more fun in planning as you say. Dream on should be an exciting trip.

Originally Posted by vaibhav_aroraLastly, there's a taboo against reciting the Mahabharata at home (except for the Bhagwad Gita) while reciting the Ramayana is actively encouraged.

I was not aware of this.
Maybe its a regional thing?
Mahabharat has been read and chanted in Bengali homes for a long, long time(since late medieval times when the Bengali versions were written).
The Bengali versions of the epics are -
Krittibas - ramayan
Kashiram Das - mahabharat

Oh wow. No its not permitted in Hindi speaking areas as its said to cause 'grah-klesh' (sorrow in the household due to bickering and fights). Just google 'keeping mahabharat at home' and see what results you get.

Originally Posted by nayanI was not aware of this.
Maybe its a regional thing?
Mahabharat has been read and chanted in Bengali homes for a long, long time(since late medieval times when the Bengali versions were written).
The Bengali versions of the epics are -
Krittibas - ramayan
Kashiram Das - mahabharat

In our house, even keeping a book of the Mahabharatha is not done. In fact when i bought a book and read it over the subsequent 12 days, i got some odd looks from my wife and i heard her mentioning it over the telephone to my mother!